All ABout What to see in Trapani

The city of salt and wind mills, Trapani is located in the northwestern part of Sicily, and for several reasons is expanding in its tourism, thanks to among other things, to its numerous international connections due to the nearby airport of Birgi.

An ancient city and one of the most important, many times, over the centuries, in the fate of Sicily, Trapani boasts its old town, great religious events, its proximity to important cultural sites, and beautiful seaside resorts; and not to mention for those with a sweet tooth, its cuisine of prelibatissima.

The historic center of Trapani is elegant and full of interest things to see. The main street is Corso Vittorio Emanuele, an elegant pedestrian area, along which you can admire the Cathedral and the Senatorial Palace. Another main street is Viale Regina Margherita, near which lies the garden, a very relaxing place to enjoy a carefree stroll.

Continuing along the Avenue, in addition to the War Memorial you can see the remains of the Castle of Earth (XII century) and the beautiful Art Nouveau Palace of Posts and Telegraphs. In the southern part of the city, Viale Regina Elena runs along the coast, from which one can see the Egadi and the white salt zones.

The Cathedral

The Cathedral of Trapani, dedicated to St. Lawrence, has an elegant baroque façade and architectural features of different styles. The church, located in Corso Vittorio Emanuele, was in fact built in 1635 on an existing fourteenth century building and massively changed later: the bell tower, domes and the side chapels were completed in 1743.

Its large interior consists of three aisles separated by arches and columns, with fine stucco decorations that adorn the walls of the Cathedral. In addition to a crucifix and the Nativity, revealing the Deposition, a beautiful work in clear Flemish style.

The Tower of Ligny

The Tower of Ligny at the far western part of the city was made ​​in 1671 by the Viceroy Lamoraldo Claudio, Prince of Ligny, as an outpost to defend the city against pirate attacks. The view that it enjoys is very suggestive: it embraces the Egadi Islands from Erice, to the coast of Bonagia.

Today, within the Tower of Ligny you can visit the Museum of the Sea and Prehistory. In 1979 it was inaugurated the Museum of Prehistory, while the marine section was appropriated in 1997. The present findings were mostly found in the province of Trapani, but there are remains from Palermo and North Africa. Of particular curiosity is a section of the remains of animals: there are rhino horns, elephant tusks and molars from a hippopotamus. There are numerous other marine finds of the classical age, as well as a battle helmet from the first Punic War.

The Shrine of the Annunciation

The Shrine of the Annunciation is one of the most important religious buildings in the entire city of Trapani. Located on Via Conte Agostino Pepoli, the original building dates back to the first half of the fourteenth century, although amended several times over the centuries.

The façade is dominated by a beautiful rose window, dating back to its original construction. The interior was completely changed in 1760: the previous three aisles were joined into a single, immense aisle.

Numerous other chapels include: the Sailors, Fishermen, Our Lady and St. Albert of Trapani. Some still in their Late Gothic or Moorish decorations, while others show fine frescoes, such as the Cappella dei Pescatori, in which are reproduced scenes from Genesis. On the altar of the Chapel of Our Lady, preceded by a spectacular granite arch, the fourteenth-century marble statue of the Madonna with child, more famously known as the Madonna of Trapani, the foot of which is the plastic silver of the city.

The Regional Museum Pepoli

The Regional Museum Pepoli, since its inception, is located in the former convent of the Carmelite Fathers of the Church of Santa Maria Annunziata, one of the largest religious complexes ever built in Sicily. The museum was inaugurated in 1908, after Agostino Sieri Pepoli donated his collections to the municipal collections.

In the two rooms that make up the ground floor there are artifacts found between Trapani and Erice (including Arabic inscription bearing quotations from the Koran) as well as beautiful marble statues of different ages.

Going up the magnificent staircase, made of polychrome marble, you reach the first floor, where the gallery is located, in which are shown several paintings donated by General Fardrum.

Of particular artistic importance, the Mercy and the Polyptych of Trapani, the latter created by an anonymous artist. In other rooms there are lesser known forms of art: they are on exhibition along with several objects used by artisans of Trapani between 600 and 800 as well as the remains of the floor made ​​in ceramics.

In the archaeological section there are numerous coins from the Greek era to the modern age and patriotically important artifacts, such as the flag of one of Garibaldi’s ships.

What made the museum Pepoli famous, and why a visit to the museum is essentially mandatory, are collections of worked coral, exceptional artisan works produced between the sixteenth and the eighteenth century. The coral is the main component of several tools, such as the silver salt cellar: assembled with other precious materials, the precious limestone produces a chromatic effect of incredible beauty.

Finally, there are the collections of silver and gold, inspired in part by Spanish tradition and greatly influenced by the work of local artisans. Most of the objects that make up the collections come from the Treasury of the Madonna of Trapani.

The Church of Santa Maria di Gesu

The Church of Santa Maria di Gesu is the work of the Franciscan friars who built it in the sixteenth century along with a convent which no longer exists. The façade, of Gothic Renaissance, shown in Via S. Peter, with its large central entrance takes up most of the scene. Inside, three aisles, along with a valuable marble work (among others a canopy and a sarcophagus) of the Virgin and Child, known as Our Lady of the Angels, a fascinating piece made ​​of glazed earthenware.

The Church of San Domenico

The Church of San Domenico is a thirteenth-century building with a single aisle, built in the Gothic – Cistercian style. Rebuilt in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the original structure is still present with the beautiful rose window and the apse of the building. The bell tower instead, was annexed in the fifteenth century. Inside you can admire its frescoes in Byzantine and gothic – Catalan styles, as well as several works in marble: among others, is the sarcophagus Manfred, son of Frederick III of Aragon. In the chapels, some of which were formed into the thickness of the side walls, you can see fine baroque decorations as well as a beautiful wooden crucifix, made in Spanish style.

Palazzi storici

The Senatorial Palace of Trapani, on Corso Vittorio Emanuele, has a characteristic pink marble facade, with the majestic golden eagle placed between two clocks. The beautiful baroque prospectus, structured on three levels, helps to give solemnity to the entire course. Today it houses the Town Hall.

The other buildings of Trapani, are scattered throughout the city center. In the old Jewish quarter is the Palazzo Giudecca in a hybrid style, in which are distinguished significant Spanish influences. On Corso Vittorio Emanuele you face Iron Palace Berardo, with rich decorations of the balconies; Berardo Iron Palace in the Rococo style; Beef Palace in late baroque; in Piazza Matteotti however, is the eighteenth-century Palace of Fardrum Mokarta, while in Via Turretta stands Palazzo Riccio of St. Joachim built in the sixteenth century.

The Castle of the Colombaia

The Castle of the Colombaia has a long history: according to legend it was exiles Trojans who constructed a lookout tower on the west coast of Sicily. More likely, the Carthaginians built the bastion as a coastal guard.

The unusual name comes from the fact that after the conquest of Trapani at the hands of the Romans, the tower was abandoned, becoming home to many pigeons. The castle was later reused by Arabs and Normans, but it was the Aragonese to equip it with the octagonal shape of present day. The building is still awaiting restoration.

Religious Festivals in Trapani

Among the most important religious celebrations that take part in Sicily, The Mysteries of Trapani during the Christian Easter recall the Passion of Jesus. The religious festival has been celebrated in the city since the seventeenth century: although born in theatrical form, it was soon transformed with the sacred peculiarities of the city of Trapani.

The Mysteries are 18 statues, each one of them corresponding to a category of worker, stunning and life-size statues that are made ​​of cypress wood and cork that are carried by the faithful along the streets of Trapani. Towards midnight the procession arrives in the square, and then it continues its march in the city until the afternoon of Saturday, when the mysteries are then returned to the Church of Purgatory, where they will be kept for one year before being displayed again to the faithful.

Historical Background of Trapani

The foundation of the city was laid, due to the work of indigenous peoples, probably the Sicani, in an unspecified period. Since ancient times, its favorable location, in the center of many shipping routes, became strategically important for rulers who contended for supremacy in the Mediterranean.

After seeing the settlement of Phoenicians and Greeks, Trapani became one of the major Sicilian cities under the control of Carthage: the city was equipped with several towers and massive walls, becoming one of the most important strongholds of Sicily. It was a period of widespread prosperity for its population, also thanks in part to the flourishing trade and abundant fishing.

The Romans conquered Trapani in 260 BC, which marked the beginning of its slow but progressive decline. Only during the Arab domination, the ancient Drépano (in Greek meaning ‘sickle’, in reference to the myths of the time rather than to the geology of the city) found new momentum: were intensive naval building took place, thanks to the expansion of the port area, and introduction of new techniques for plowing fields and fishing.

The strong Arab influence is still seen today, as well as in the urban structure, in the cuisine of Trapani, in which it excels in couscous. A widespread prosperity continued in Trapani under the Normans, who proceeded to fortify the city, and under the Aragonese period that saw a massive reorganization of the urban layout.

During the Middle Ages, the powerful Sicilian families continued to equip Trapani with fortified defensive constructions (of this period was the Tower of Ligny) but the city also lost the charm of the previous centuries, epidemics and choking tributes put a strain on the city, reducing its government’s influence.

During the wars of liberation against the Bourbons, the citizens of Trapani distinguished themselves for the courageous uprising against the French which caused a domino effect in neighboring towns, marking the beginning of the end for the French domination and a new dawn for Italy.

Trapani by Night

For those who decide to eat out, Trapani is an ideal place for gourmets. The city’s restaurants offer delicious dishes at reasonable prices. Not to be missed, between courses, couscous, a typical dish of Trapani now adopted by North African cuisine. Fresh fish is one of the most popular dishes, try a plate and you’ll understand why. Even the pizzerias collect many compliments from the guests, thanks to the typical Sicilian pizzas and other seafood.

The old town, especially on weekends, is filled with young people who drink something in the bars and crowd Corso Vittorio Emanuele and Via Fardella, by day, a perfect place for those who want to shop.

For lovers of disco, clubs organize summer events in the nearby seaside resorts, along the breathtaking coast of Trapani. During the winter there are local discos where you can spend an entire night on the dance floor, which are even found among the neighboring towns of the province.